Christmas Buying Guide: Top 10 Work’n’Play 4X4 Truck Accessories

Tis nearly the season to be jolly. And that means it’s also the perfect time to consider gifting yourself a cool truck accessory (or more) for Christmas. Whether you’re looking to upfit your vehicle for style or functional reasons, Upfitter.com features more than 200 products. 

To save you some browsing time, here’s Upfitter's festive buying guide to 10 accessories that will enhance your truck’s weekday/weekend capabilities

10. AMP BEDXTENDER HD MAX
$549.95

If you regularly load your bed with awkwardly long items – such as ladders or timber – the HD Max from AMP Research’s Bedxtender range provides an alternative to over-cabin storage by creating an extra two feet (24 inches) of enclosed cargo-storing ability.

The curved Bedxtender – comprising light-yet-strong aluminium tubes and rugged, composite uprights – attaches to pivot points so it can be flipped easily 180 degrees. Flip it out when you need extra cargo length or flip it back into the bed and close the tailgate when not required or to help secure tools and other small cargo items.

This innovative bed accessory is a universal fit for trucks including the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Ford F-150, and is available in either a silver or black durable power-coated finish.

9. BACKRACK HALF-LOUVRED HEADACHE RACK
$549.95 

Backrack headache racks add some visual toughness to the look of your truck, though they serve many useful purposes: giving truck owners the ability to carry ladders, pipes, planks and other longer loads when they won’t fit along the cargo bed; protecting the cabin from any loads that have become loose; providing an additional tie-down option for equipment or other loads.

This half-louvred design is constructed from heavy-duty steel, features a black power-coat finish, and is easy to install on any Ram 1500 model (with the exception of those fitted with a RamBox cargo management system).

Other Backrack headache racks are also  available

8. DU-HA HUMPSTOR SIDE TRUCK BED STORAGE
$899.95

US truck-storage experts Du-Ha have the perfect solution for expanding the versatility of your truck’s cargo bed with its Humpstor. This long, narrow and lockable box made from heavy-duty plastic clips onto the bed rail to provide 65 litres of hidden and secured storage while minimising lost floor space.

Rubber sealing helps prevent rain or dust getting into the Humpstor. At just over 55 inches long and about 10 inches wide and deep, the Humpstor is ideal for work tools, cables or smaller materials or items. For even greater bed storage – and neat, bed symmetry – why not fit a Humpstor on both sides!

7. FUEL COVERT 20” MATTE BLACK WHEEL
$569.95

The Fuel Off-Road brand has been around for just over a decade but in that relatively short period has captured the attention of 4x4 enthusiasts and truck owners with its dynamic-looking wheels.

And you can see why with this new Covert 20-inch one-piece alloy rim, which features a matt-black finish and is designed to withstand gruelling off-road trails while also standing out around town.

Each Fuel Covert 20x9 wheel costs $569.95, or $2279.80 for a set of four. Upfitter sells an extensive range of Fuel wheels – check them out  here

6. GO RHINO SPORT BAR 3.0
$2,199.95

This stylish and functional sport bar comes from the family-owned, Californian outfit Go Rhino that has been serving truck and SUV owners with great accessories since the mid 1970s.

The sport bar’s tubes are available in either a textured, black-powder-coated finish or polished stainless steel, and its removable sideplates feature an etched Go Rhino logo. The top of the bar incorporates multiple pre-drilled holes for mounting an LED light bar or auxiliary lights.

Go Rhino’s Sport Bar 3.0 is compatible with models including the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Ford F-150 trucks.

5. LUND BI-FOLD LOADING RAMP
$649.95

Roll up, roll up… This pair of Lund ramps make it easy to load and unload your two-wheeled or four-wheeled weekend toys: motorcycles, quad bikes, and you’re your average ATV.

The aluminium 77-inch x 30-inch ramps offer a generous 680kg weight capacity and can be pushed together – for loading bikes and transporting goods on hand-trolleys, for example – or separated for wider vehicles.

Extruded holes provide enhanced ramp traction while nylon safety straps help prevent the ramps shifting when attached to your truck’s tailgate. A rubber angle protector safeguards the tailgate from damage, too, and an angled foot helps smooth loading on to and off the ramps.

Aluminium construction makes the bi-folding ramps lightweight, durable and resistant to rust, and the ability to fold them to a 15-inch width makes them easier to store in your cargo bed.

4. RETRAX POWERTRAX PRO XR TONNEAU
$4,499.95

US company Retrax has specialised in premium retractable truck tonneau covers for coming up to 25 years, and the new Powertrax Pro XR is its top-of-the-line product.

It gives truck owners amazing flexibility when it comes to managing their cargo – combining the advantages of a secure and easily accessible cargo bed with the ability to accommodate carriers for lifestyle equipment such as bicycles and kayaks, cargo baskets, or even truck tents.

An integrated Trax Rail System is compatible with selected T-slot rack accessories from Yakima, Rhino Rack and Thule. These include the Yakima Overhaul HD bed rack also featured in this list (tonneau cover adaptor also required).

The electronically operated retractable tonneau cover is constructed from heavy-duty, scratch-resistant aluminium slats, rolls smoothly thanks to sealed ball-bearing rollers, can be open/closed via remote keyfob, and can be stopped in any position.

3. UF OPTICS LED GLOBES FOR RAM
$129.95

Light emitting diodes – LEDs – have become the premium form of exterior illumination for vehicles, and these globe packs from Upfitter will not only help make your Ram truck stand-out at night but will project a brighter and longer-lasting beam compared with halogen headlights.

The globes, sold in packs of two, emit 12,000 lumens (read: very, very bright) and have an estimated lifespan of more than 50,000 hours.

The UF Optics LED Globes are available for both low and high beam on the Ram 1500 Laramie (which features auto high-beam technology) and high beam for the Ram 1500 Express.

2. WEATHERTECH TECHLINER BED PROTECTOR
$299.95

If you want to keep your truck’s bed looking as good as the rest of your vehicle, this custom-fit protector helps avoid dents, scratches and paint damage.

The black Techliner Bed Protector from renowned American vehicle-protection specialists WeatherTech fits quickly and seamlessly to the bed of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500.

Made from durable, flexible and chemical- and UV-resistant thermoplastic elastomer, the Techliner allows for easy loading/unloading of cargo while helping to keep it in place when you’re on the move. There’s also the option of a matching tailgate piece.

1. YAKIMA OVERHAUL HD SYSTEM
$1399.95

Whether you’re heading to the forest trail, beach, river or another active-weekend destination, load-carrying specialist Yakima’s Overhaul HD System allows bikes, surfboards, kayaks to be carried over the top of your truck bed.

In conjunction with Yakima’s HD Crossbars – sold separately – the easily attachable/removable uprights feature height adjustment. This allows longer lifestyle gear (such as surfboards) to go over the cab and other loads to go lower, behind the cab (helping to reduce drag).

The rack system has a maximum load rating of 226kg for the road, or 136kg if you’re heading off road. And a detail we love: each upright handle incorporates a bottle opener! For extra functionality, add  Yakima SideBar Short and Yakima SideBars Long for attaching a variety of accessories.